So now you may be asking yourself, "Why Laverne and Shirley?" If you are under 40, you are probably asking yourself, "Who in the hell ARE Laverne and Shirley?" If you are in the later group. Here is a little clue.
You will now be humming this tune all day...my apologies!
So why Laverne and Shirley?
First of all, whenever faced with a parental conundrum I dig back to the treasure trove of classic TV shows from my youth to find some pearl of wisdom. Would Ward and June have grounded the Beav for this? Would Mrs. Brady have ratted out Marsha’s best friend to her parents? What type of little story would Andy have told Opie to help him get over his first crush? How did Rob and Laura Petrie look so relaxed when they slept in separate beds? WAIT - that is another blog all together.
Both my husband and I have found this practice quite
helpful. Take for example this fall when our 11 year-old was navigating the structure of
the atom – protons, neutrons and electrons. Without skipping a beat he grabbed the laptop and jumped on YouTube. Within seconds he pulled up that classic episode of WKRP In Cincinatti
when Venus Flytrap keeps a tough-talking teen from quitting school with a
brilliant analogy of the “hood”. C’mon, if you are over 40, you remember it. If you still can't remember the difference between a proton and a neutron, take a gander.
From my viewpoint, Laverne & Shirley had the friendship
all women should strive to emulate. Despite living in the 50’s brew capital of
the U.S. and sharing a passion for dreamy guys and a tolerance for nerdy neighbors,
Laverne & Shirley were totally unlike each other – like milk and Pepsi.
Laverne was a tough-talking, wise-cracking daughter of a
bowling alley owner. Shirley was a prissy, overly optimistic pre-cursor to Mary Tyler Moore. But what made their friendship golden
was their acceptance of their differences and their loyalty.
Laverne’s dating “practices” made Shirley cross her legs.
Shirley’s sun-shiney attitude made LaVerne wanna clobber her. But despite their
different personalities, they loved and accepted each other. They looked passed the negatives and focused on positive. There were a the times
when each spoke up and deliver the unsolicited and unpopular advice - that only a true friend can give - to keep the
other from making a HUGE mistake (remember when Laverne tried to be a Playboy Bunny?)
You messed with Shirley Feeney, LaVerne DeFazio would be in
your face faster than you could say, "Lenny and Squiggy". You make fun of Laverne
DeFazio’s dress and Shirley Feeney would, well...she would give you a lecture
you’d never forget.
I know life is not a 70's sit-com set in the 50's but I still think we girls could live happier, healthier, more confident lives if we could all just be a little more Like Laverne and Shirley.
Oh, we ALL need to reference something, and I think it's quite appropriate to draw lessons from (or "channel"?) Laverne and Shirley. They fought and made each other batty because of their quirks, but they also accepted exactly those same quirks -- whether they be imperfections or earnest endeavors or new dreams to try for. I have this fun and silly while also somber and heartfelt relationship with my sisters. I honestly must say that I'm trying to just be that way with my friends, but that is not currently my reality.
ReplyDeleteFor me? I just trying to play low-key, maybe as if they were deer in woods on a Sunday morning walk -- You know, those deer will rush off if I stomp or giggle too loudly or rush too quickly to see them. I "meet" them only if I give them space to come out, safe from my actions or plans for them. Sometimes it works, but sometimes I feel like I'm keeping a respectful, professional relationship. I realize as I write this, though, that I take this approach exactly because I need the "safety" and non-judgment I extend to these deer. Hmm. . . . .Wow, Nancy, you've got a lot of wonderful ideas coming in your blogs! I'm looking forward to reading them. Jan